Skin acts as a natural barrier between the internal and the external environment and therefore plays an important role in vital biological functions such as protection against mechanical and chemical injury, micro-organisms, and ultraviolet damage. Skin, however, is delicate and is easily damaged.
Sunscreens can be used to protect against UV damage but typical sunscreens do not provide protection against intense heat, e.g., fires, explosives, etc. Some occupations exist, such as military and firefighters, in which individuals are exposed to intense thermal fluxes that can cause severe burns to exposed skin. Burns from heat can be prevented by clothing and materials that offer a considerable degree of thermal protection. Protective fire resistant fibers and fabrics or flame resistant treated clothing are critical for firefighters and military personnel that encounter explosives. However, because of ergonomic considerations select areas of the body including the face and the hands may not be covered during operations.
Hair can become seriously damaged when exposed to thermal stresses, such as very high temperatures created by styling devices such as blow driers, curling tongs, and straightening irons. Heat causes the formation of multiple cracks in the cuticle, aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hair fiber (Gamez-Garcia, M. (1998), “The cracking of human hair cuticles by cyclical thermal stresses” Journal of Cosmetic Science 49(3): 141-153). SEM studies have shown that repeated blow drying or use of curling tongs/flat irons can cause articular compression, cuticular disintegration, radial and axial cracking and scale edge chipping (Schweid. B. and G. Martino (2004), “How thermal protection is made possible with sodium polystyrene sulfonate” S.O.F.W.—Journal 130(8): 36-40). Heat exposed hair has also been shown to have a lower dynamic contact angle as cuticle lipids are damaged and removed (Schweid, and Martino (2004).
As described in detail below, the inventors of the instant case discovered compositions that protect the skin and hair from intense heat. Thus, the compositions are useful for protecting the skin and hair from heat and damage caused by heat.